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Federal Trojan Horse

The German investigators have not yet been able to do the controversial secret online searches because of missing software. Joerg Ziercke – chief of the BKA – said they are working under “high pressure” on the appropriate software, but it would be no problem to get it also from other countries which already do this kind of observation.

The law to permit this way of online analysis is not yet determined – but the theoretical agreement exists now even though in a very restrictive form. At present the details are being discussed, like if the police is allowed to enter accommodations to install the software or if everything has to be done remotely.

For the police the situation is comparable to installing secret video cameras in order to observe people – here they are also permitted to enter the accommodations and install the necessary equipment.

The opponents see in secret online observations a break of the basic rights and a big step in the change from a democratic state towards a surveillance state.